WESTMORELAND, Jamaica – Following remarks by a frustrated councillor to use uncollected garbage to block Westmoreland’s road, the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has rushed to retrieve four trucks in Kingston to undertake a massive clean-up of garbage in the parish.

The backlog clean-up programme is expected to start on Saturday, June 11.

During Thursday’s Westmoreland Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting, Councillor Devon Thomas, (People’s National Party, North Savanna-la-Mar division) told councillors that the garbage situation in the parish was serious, and suggested the roadblock.

The State-run company has been experiencing maintenance issues and a shortage of trucks, which have left many communities experiencing a pile-up of garbage.

A Senior Public Cleansing Inspector for Westmoreland and Hanover, Leona Bennett, told OBSERVER ONLINE that four trucks were sourced from Western Parks and Market (WPM) the regional arm of the NSWMA.

The trucks arrived in Westmoreland on Friday night.

“We have just received four additional units to assist with the backlog,” Bennett revealed, noting that the team will be out early Saturday morning.

She said all outstanding areas within Westmoreland should be cleaned by Monday morning.

“We’re going to work all day tomorrow, all day Sunday and early Monday morning,” said Bennett.

Bennett said she is thanking the residents for their patience, and is assuring them that the NSWMA has a maintenance plan.

“We just want them to be comfortable and assure that we will clear and will be maintaining afterwards,” she told OBSERVER ONLINE.

Kimberley Peddie